Pressure vessels or “blast pots” are used with various abrasive blasting materials for surface preparation applications. When closed and filled with the blasting material, the pressure vessel is pressurized and used in combination with an air feed line which receives abrasive material from the pressure vessel and then carries the material through a hose to a nozzle when used in a surface preparation application. Some larger blast pots feed multiple outputs, for example to supply material to different work stations. An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a control unit and data collection into which various functions relating to the blasting apparatus and surrounding environment are integrated.